New look for the ol' blog

Thanks to Roy, the picture has been updated. I didn't want to leave the impression that I am so capable! We have returned tonight to the farm with Stephen and will find him a ride back to Saskatoon to catch his plane before Jan 6th. Hopefully he can be there a day or two ahead and do a little more visiting with his sisters and their families. It was a fun time being together, but we never got a family picture this time as one or more of us were not feeling well over the days we were together. Gianna and I had a cough going on, and then we decided to bounce the flu bug among the adults! Sigh, oh well, we were in good company. I will add some pictures from the time in Saskatoon. The kids joined the puzzle tradition and sure go involved!! Linaya was so excited she crawled right up on the table and sat at Grandpa's elbow. Stan and Josiah celebrated their birthdays together for the second time! Now there are two 2 year olds in the family! Linaya had her birthday back in October.

All is calm...

Well, we were off to flying start on Christmas morning with Stephen put up in a hotel for the night somewhere in Denver as he waited for a connecting flight and Robert calling to Monica's house to say he was off to the hospital with Melissa as she had a terrible night. By mid afternoon, Stephen and Melissa were both back with the family as we opened gifts and settled down to Christmas supper (yes, supper! We're prairie people :-)

No word from Melissa this am, but I know we won't be doing boxing day sales together. Please contiue to say a little prayer for her as this has been such a tough pregnancy and she can really use the encouragement of people who care as she waits these last weeks. The ultra sound shows a healthy baby on the way and we are just excited to meet this newest little member of the family. Gianna has improved so much from last week when she needed to be on nebulizer treatments for her congested chest. Today she is all smiles! She's just happy to be feeling better, too!!

We are reminded how great it is to be together as family and we count our blessings as we look around us. We are safe, warm, well fed and have a loving God who's always near. Have a good day :-)

Merry Christmas and Happy holidays

We head to Saskatoon tomorrow to meet up with the rest of the family. Roy, Monica and the girls have been here for a few days and just headed back to the city ahead of us. Gianna had been having some resperatory problems that come with having a cold when you're 7 weeks old. She's doing a little better today and is to continue with nebulizer treatments for a week. Lots of cuddle time and she got lots of pats on the back, too! It was fun to play with Linaya. She changes so much between visits.
We're looking forward to time with Melissa, Robert and Josiah. She is looking forward to the new baby's arrival and feeling well again. She is 33 weeks now and baby seems to be very active and progressing well. Stephen flies in tomorrow night, I think?? If you've been following air travel over the last few days you will have noticed a few bottlenecks and delays. Stan got over the pneumonia and has been back looking for things to do in the shop. Good sign!! I have "turned into my mother" and have been packing up things to take with us to Saskatoon to use for Christmas dinner and beyond. I used to tease MY Mom and say "Don't bring water. We have some of that" Now I hear that from my girls :-) God's blessing over you and your family as you travel and spend time together!!

Now what?

Well, we've never thought our life was predictable. Stan thought he must be getting some kind of flu but it turned out to be pneumonia. I think the Doctor caught it early enough to get some antibiotics going and hopefully he'll feel a lot better in just a couple of days. It is hard for him to sit around and take it easy. We're on day 1 of that! I need to get some Christmas baking done so that's my good reason to stay home and in the house. They're forcasting a blizzard tonight and tomorrow. Our winter may really be on its way.

Home from the mountains

We had a wonderful time visiting lots of family between here and Vancouver and back. We saw, brothers, sisters-in-law, an aunt and uncle, cousins and their kids, neices and nephews and their families! In between the visits we took a little quieter time off and went on the Harrison River on a tour of a salmon run and bald eagles. Did you know there could be over 2000 bald eagles on the same river when the salmon are on the move! It was so amazing.(If you click on the picture of the tree you will be able to see a sample) The rest of the trip we kept watching for eagles. "On The Wings of an Eagle" is a special song and Bible verse to me. It was so exhilarating to watch so many rising and soaring!!

Here is my updated prayer list. Melissa continues to wait for the new baby. Her blood pressure has remained mostly constant but still a little too high. She has passed 30 weeks so let's make it 37 and then forty!! Go Melissa! Our prayers continue for you to do well. My friend Vicki has begun her chemo and radiation. Please pray for her to find the side effects tolerable and for her healing.

How many weeks until Christmas?? I haven't got my head there yet. My greeting cards are still on the kitchen table and not in the mail. Most of you know all about us if you're reading facebook, or blog anyway, right?? Thankyou for caring enought to check in on us. I hope this can be a wonderful Christmas season for you to be with people you love and not stress about "stuff".

Prayer request

Hi there, If you are reading this then I know that YOU know that our family believes that God is good and answers prayers. I'm asking you to keep our daughter, Melissa Orr, in your prayers. She hasn't had an easy pregnancy and now her bloodpressure has become a concern. We are asking you to pray that her bloodpressure stays consistent and that Baby continues to thrive "in there" until the due date of Feb. 8th. She is being monitored weekly and although the pressure is not dangerously high and the blood work has been good, we want it all to stay that way.

Home

Well, I'm back home with Stan and it feels pretty nice. As much as I loved Saskatoon and being with everyone there, I really missed Stan! I guess I've got pretty attached to him in 34 years! The best is when we are all together and then I don't have to be missing anyone. Stephen will be home at Christmas and that is always such a special time.

I'll add a few pictures of being with Linaya, Josiah and Gianna. I found myself stopping for a moment of "Super Y" on tv this morning for ol' time sake. The kids are busy learning their letters already! and are doing pretty well at it.

Stan is busy trying to get a few more outside jobs done before the snow piles high and the temperature drops. I have a few projects on the go. I have started a cross stitch name sampler for Gianna Pearl, baby quilt to be quilted for the next little Orr and a "Go Go" quilt of trucks, cars and tractors to finish for Josiah for his big boy bed. All that and a freezer to stock before the family is home for Christmas. That is not very far away is it?

My friend, Vicki, begins radiation soon and Ruby is home from hospital after her knee surgery.

One week!

Little Gianna has been with us for one week today! and is imbedded in our hearts and our family. You forget the innocence until you look in these little faces. I just keep thinking that every child should come into the world so wanted and so loved. Linaya has been very comfortable with her around.

Stan will be coming to pick me up this weekend as Roy has next week off to spend with his family.

I'll post pictures from my computer at home but I don't think I'll be able to show you anything better than have already been posted by Roy and Monica. Keep checking in on adventures ith roy blog.

God blesses us again!

Well, the only thing better than having two grandkids is now having three!!!! and the anticipation of the fourth. Monica gave birth to a wonderful baby girl this morning on October 28th, my Mom (Grace Jacobs') birthday. If you can see from Heaven, then my Mom is smiling, too! Linaya is very excited. She just keeps hugging her so tenderly.
Gianna Pearl and Mommy will be back home tomorrow. Pearl Orr was Roy's great, great grandma, wife of Wilfred Orr.

Ruby Bell had her knee surgery last Wednesday and is still in hospital in the General in Regina. Things have not progressed as quickly as she had hoped. Keep her in your prayers for a speedy recovery.

I feel guilty being in Saskatoon without Stan. Even if it's considered "helping out" I know I'm having just way too much fun! You can check out Roy and Monica's blog for baby pics. Many more cute ones to come. :-) Happy Grandma and Grandpa!

Snow? in October??

We had a wonderful time with our family in Regina on Thanksgiving weekend. We have come up with our own tradition of having Sunday dinner at Red Lobster! It is almost like having a private dining room when ordinarily it is very busy. It had started snowing by the time we left on Sunday evening so Stan and I decided to stop overnight at the Spa in Moose Jaw to celebrate our 34 Wedding Anniversary a week early. It was a relaxing way to end a weekend and the next morning we were surprised to find 10 inches of wet snow on our car. By the time we got home, the ground was bare!

I hadn't posted Linaya's birthday picture. I made her a sling to carry her baby as she is quite the "little mom" already. She'll make a great big sister. Josiah and Linaya are busy little people these days. Now we can talk on the telephone!

Vicky Knutson had her surgery today. Carman seemed encouraged that it went well and now they wait 2 weeks for biopsy results and begin radiation in 6 weeks after she has had some healing time. I hope they can keep her comfortable as she heals. They plan on sending her home on Sunday or Monday. (I can't believe how little time they allow you to take up space in our hospitals!) We continue to pray for healing from her cancer.

Thankful at Thanksgiving

I am indeed thankful. Thankyou, God, for my healthy husband,Stan, for our wonderful children, Monica,Melissa and Stephen and grandchildren, Linaya and Josiah. Thankyou for Roy and Robert added to our family. Thankyou for another successful harvest. Thankyou for so many in extented family and friendships that warm our lives and give us strength.

We are off to Regina this weekend to attend Lectureship at Western Christian College. It has become destination for Thanksgiving weekend over the years and it is wonderful to hear encouraging lessons from talented speakers, share in singing hymns and praises with hundreds of people and reconnecting with people we haven't seen for a while. They say it may snow, but that really doesn't seem to matter!

I would appreciate your prayers for our friend Vicki Knutson of Regina. She is married to Carman and Mom to 6 wonderful sons. She will be having surgery next Friday to have a cancerous tumor removed from inside her nose. Please pray for the success of her surgery and for her strength for recovery. Ruby Bell (married to Elford) is also scheduled for knee surgery in Regina in two weeks. Please also keep her in your prayers for a quick recovery.

Happy thanksgiving to all of you. Enjoy the day with your "attitude of gratitude" :-)

The Grain is in the Bins!!

Yes, it's true. As of yesterday, we are finished the harvest of 2008. We are thankful for our good health and safety through it all and were able to complete harvest without running for any major repairs for the combine :-) Some of the grain has already been delivered to the elevator but Stan will have some trucking days ahead of him. We were blessed with a good crop, even after the hail storm. Don't think we're on vacation yet. We still have some fall work to complete before we're relaxing too much. I think our near travel plans will include a weekend to Saskatoon for Oct. 5th (Linaya will be 2!) and Thanksgiving weekend in Regina at Lectureship.

September has arrived

Well, where did the summer go? It smells like fall, doesn't it? We haven't had frost yet which is a good thing. Roy, Monica and Linaya were home last weekend and we got a lovely visit because the weather was holding us back from full day combining. It was fun to have Linaya for a combine ride, too, as well as letting her help bring in veggies from the garden. She would show up in the kitchen and want to be picked up. Monica took a picture of what I was calling "The Cooking With Grandma Show" She would watch so carefully. We also had a very loud Roughriders game in our living room on Sunday afternoon. Linaya and Daddy got all decked out in their "Go Riders!" shirts. We're back to longer days in the field. I'm planning on being done so we can get in on Linaya's birthday cake on Oct. 5th! Harvest has been going well. Stan has been busy moving grain around to different bins to accomodate what is being dried and what is incoming dry already on the grain trucks. He is working hard and pleased with the crop that survived the hail storm. Onward we go!

August 31st update

Well, here I sit on a drizzly Sunday afternoon. The house is quiet with everyone catching up on well deserved sleep. Harvest has been going well. We have enjoyed Robert, Melissa and Josiah home the last few days. Robert has given me a break from the combine and they stayed over so I could help my "second born" to celebrate her birthday! We are off to an evening of singing in our church building and I look forward to spending a nice evening with friends. I can't believe it is the last day of August. We are just over half done harvest, kids are back in school for another year and we are about 2 months away from out next grandchild being born. I will be excited to go spend time in Saskatoon with Linaya as Monica has the new baby in October. Melissa has been feeling a little better but still thinks February could be a long time away as they wait for their new baby. Josiah and Linaya are such fun. They have both stolen our hearts and entertain us with their rapid change from baby to walking, talking toddlers! We are very blessed by our family. Stephen was in Saskatchewan for a week and we shared him between home and Saskatoon. As always, it is wonderful to have the family together and we look forward to Christmas.

Harvest has begun!

Last night Stan took the combine a couple of laps around the Canola field. It wasn't quite ready, but so near. It is hot and windy today so it will be "all systems go" by Monday for sure, and maybe even later this afternoon. We had our last lunch at the kitchen table for a while as I eat before I go out to the combine and he eats when he brings grain back to the yard. I have the oven working today to stockpile a few basics like buns and cabbage rolls etc. so if I don't have something ready in the fridge, there will always be something for backup in the freezer. It is such an exciting time of the year! I look forward to the beginning and later I will be just as happy to see the conclusion. God has been good. We have some good looking crops and even the stuff the had hail as come back the best it could.

Concerning my recent health problem? I am without pain and ready to go! I am SO thankful this kidney stone is gone in time for the harvest.

Almost there.......

I woke up this moring feeling like "I'm back". I have spent that last couple of weeks feeling some kind of pain or haze from some kind of medications. I woke up this morning and stretched and thought, "Hey! nothing hurts" Good sign, The stent is still irritating and it still stings if I flex where the IV enters the top of my hand, but other than that, I think I'll be quite mobile tomorrow when the stent comes out. They will let me know if I continue with once a day trips for one kind of antibiotic while I take pills at home now for the other kind for another week. Stan and I don't have a good batting average for infections. I guess we just better stay out of trouble. Excuse me while I go get a LARGE glass of water and go back to bed for a while. Stan is off to the swather later than usual as he stayed up a little later last night and visited Stephen, Robert and Melissa and Josiah. They have been here since Sunday afternoon and leave today. It has been great to see them and I hadn't seen our Stephen since Christmas. He's looking great and we had some really nice visits as he did some trips to town with me. Robert learned the fine art of swathing yesterday and let Stan catch up on a nap. Melissa is looking good but still not having a real easy pregnancy and little Josiah? Well!! He just spreads sunshine where he goes!! He makes me smile!!

Continuing saga......

Well, I woke up on Sat. am with a temp of 104 and have been back in the hospital with infection. Once the fever broke I convinced the Dr. to let me live at home and drive in every 6 hours for continuing antibiotics. Please keep us in your prayers. I'm STILL trying to be in shape for harvest.

Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy...

a new way to say ZAP! I just got home from Regina General Hospital and Dr. Tse is again my hero for using modern technology to rid me off my latest frustration,a one cm. kidney stone. It just wasn't about to go away by itself. The procedure took 49 minutes and I'll need at least 5 days recovery time. I think I'm back in the harvest business. Hurray!!!

Quiet before the Harvest Rush

Well, we're poised on the edge of leaping into harvest. I've been busy trying to put some food in the freezer ready to pop in the microwave between loads of grain. I did a couple of days in the "all inclusive" Gravelbourg hospital with a kidney stone attack. It is still with me, but hopefully relocated so it won't bother me through harvest. Stan has been busy getting machinery and grainbins ready. This is such and exiting time of the year. The hail took away our "elusions of grandeur". It had looked like a really great crop before he storm. Now it's a tribute to nature's desire to come back! There is more crop than anticipated, but very close to the ground. Please say a little prayer for our health and stamina as we go into this busy time. Stan has been feeling well but it will be a hard time to keep up with needed rest. God is good and we'll keep relying on Him to meet our needs. We wish our other farmer friends a boutiful and safe harvest.

Elkhorn revisited

Well, I finally returned to Elkhorn and stopped just before sunset in the little cemetary where Mom and Dad were laid to rest. I wasn't sure how I would feel as I hadn't been there since before Dad passed away. I have a sense of calm. The cemetary itself is so well kept and respected. Dad had taken his scooter downtown in Virden one day and picked out the headstone himself. He had spent much time thinking of what to write for Mom and came up with a etched picture of a rose and the statement "Always Kindly Remembered" That could be read two ways and is appropriate either way. For himself, he had chosen an etched picture of the Bible and before he passed away we told him we had chosen "Blessed are the peacemakers" which ended up shortened to "Peacemaker" and he had been pleased. Their little house in town still boasts a big garden, Mom would have liked that. The chaos of the rest of the yard just restated to me that Manley and Grace don't live here anymore. As we wandered around the cemetary I was reminded of old friends and familiar names and of life being brief with many paths that cross perhaps only once. In comparing headstones I could see that Dad had chosen well. They are memorialized in simplicity and dignity with the polished headstone but remembered so large in our hearts and memories that it takes all of us to do it. Thankyou God for the chance to go back and for your gift to me of such loving parents.

Summer Days!

We just returned from camping with family and friends at Palliser Provincial Park, Riverhurst. We had connecting campsites and a family size table in the middle. It came complete with bunnies and squirrels to amuse the kids and cute kids to amuse the adults! We were missing Stephen, but he comes north to visit for a week in August. We enjoyed the sandy shore of Lake Deifenbaker and spent hot days cooling off wading in the water. Here are a few fun pictures of the family. We were joined by Lynn and Emma Orr and Rob and Diane Waddell and their kids. We used the deisel truck to pack up all the gear we believed necessary. We had retired Warren's 1.4million kilometer truck to the farm and decided it was time to take it on vacation :-)

Sunny days

Here we are, July 2nd! Time has been flying by and it will be harvest before we know. It has been an eventful summer already. We have had beautiful rain to make the crop and countryside a lovely shade of green! The heat has come now so we're hoping it doesn't dry up this crop before it's ready. We're not spraying chickpeas every 7-10 days this summer so it had feels like we actually have a "little breather" between seeding and harvest.

We have been to Saskatoon a couple of times to check on our family. We are waiting on two new babies. Monica and Roy in Oct and Melissa and Robert in February. We are enjoying Linaya and Josiah SO much. They just make us smile!!! Josiah is among the small percentage of kids who gets seizures with a sudden fever so we just hate it for him when that happens. The good news is that he has had the tests to assure everyone that it's nothing serious that he won't grow out of, but it's still not pleasant.

Our family is going camping this week so that should be a good "photo opp". We're meeting on the shores of Lake Deifenbaker and will have a family group of about 6 tents for a few days. Stephen doesn't get in on it this time as he's arriving home for a visit in August.

We have seen two fireworks displays. Good ol' Shamrock park still is our favorite! We are so grateful to live in Canada. It is worth celebrating!!!

Mountain top experiences!

We just returned from Banff where we watched our niece, Leanne, marry Jason in the meadow on Tunnel Mountain. It had been raining but our bride was blessed as the weather took a little turn and the wedding continued as she had believed it would!
This is the picture of"Leanne the Welder" who works with Allan, her Dad and "Leanne the Bride"! Here's the picture of Allan and Jeanette followed by the picture of Alvan and Trisha as we went hiking. (Yes, they're still identical twins!!)
It was wonderful linger in Banff an extra day and hike Johnson Canyon with Alvan and Tisha. The picture of Stan on this blog had been taken there and it was wonderful to be back there again. We also took the gondola up the mountain in Banff and spent a little time in the hot pool on Sulpur Mountain before the rain came again.
It was great to be able to spend some time with family and celebrate with them!

My favorite "little people"

Here are a couple of pics of time spent with Linaya and Josiah. They are so sweet and so much fun as they are busy learning how to talk and express themselves. You can't tease me about being a grandma! I love the word and love the honor!

Taking things to another level!

Well, we spent a couple of days in Saskatoon while Stan was involved in helping Melissa and Robert take a roof off their house and add a second floor. What an amazing thing to watch. Robert and his Dad spent a lot of time working out the fine details of retrofitting their house to make it warmer with thicker walls etc. for better heat control and hatched the plan of stretching the house up a floor. I got to spend wonderful Grandma time with Linaya and Josiah as well as time with my girls. I also saw what happens when a lot of friends and family come over to help and get fed in the backyard! Good job, Melissa. Again, quite a lot of planning required and executed beautifully! Here are a couple of interesting shots!

Pool Party!

Well, we had a wonderful weekend full of kids and fun! Monica and Melissa brought Linaya and Josiah along with Diane and baby Patience. We were visited by Nicole and daughter, Becca as well as little cousin, Ariana from next door and her Mom and Dad. The deck turned into a splash zone around the wading pool with two toddlers swings and bubbles moving through the air. It was great to have all those fun sounds of babies. Today, a heavy silence! I put the toys back and the extra chairs away and look forward to the next visit :-)
On the farming side, Stan finished seeding on Saturday night, so we are so pleased to have the crop in the ground. Now we're ready for some rain.